Ranma and the Evil Within
by Kilich
Summary: What if Ranma's cursed form was the ghost from anime episode *The Evil Within*? A half-finished rough draft of my first story. On hold.
1. Prologue

Ranma and the evil within.

Disclaimer:I do not own Ranma1/2. It belongs solely to its creators. Fun is the only thing i'm hoping to gain by writing this story. I also do not own any other books, games and anime mentioned o rused in this story. Also, this story was inspired by 'Ranma, the naive Succubus' from Anime Adventure website.

Prologue.

Probably it was the scenery or a warm wind but Ranma slept almost peacefully, unlike previous nights.

In his dreamscape was a beautiful day. A day that'll make everybody smile with at least a sliver of happiness, but two people walking into a certain valley looked far from happy.

"More customers" Jusenkyo guide sighed, rising from his chair to meet guests.

"Maybe this time they'll listen" came faint Chinese whisper.

-

"Welcome to legendary grounds of Jusenkyo honorary customers"

But as The Guide spoke he felt that something very tragic is about to happen.

"They never listen" thought the Guide as he watched two martial artists walk straight to the pools paying him no attention.

-

"What's so special about this place" asked one of the guests, a raven haired boy, elbowing his father. "It looks like a simple balance practice"

"The book I got..." started Genma.

"You mean, stolen?" Ranma interrupted with a grin.

"Silence, boy" shouted his father" Don't interrupt your elders. That book said that this is a legendary training ground."

"Now, hurry up on those poles so I can teach some manners"

"You don't know anything about manners, old man" shouted Ranma as he jumped on the pole.

-

Both martial artists jumped at each other and after a skillfully done mid-air throw, Genma fell into the nearest pool.

Several seconds later a tall pillar of water rose from the pool. When water subsided, Ranma saw a glasses-wearing panda growling at him.

When animal attacked, Ranma managed to dodge its punch and jump away from spring onto the ground.

"What the hell was that?" yelled deeply shaken Ranma.

"Mr. Customer fell into the magic spring. Too-too tragic story of a panda that drowned here 1000 years ago. Now if fall in spring you take body of a panda. I try to warn, but nobody ever listen."

"So" asked Ranma as Genma stared at his paws in shock "he stuck this way forever?"

"No, hot water reverses the curse. Cold water activates. Come with me for hot water."

"Oh. C'mon pops let's go change you back."

-

An hour later when Genma was once again human, both martial artists were walking along the edge of Jusenkyo cliff.

As they passed a boy in traveling clothes and bandana on his head, that boy glared intently at Ranma.

Yelling "Ranma, prepare to die" he jumped to his target using his umbrella as a sword. But a quick dodge and kick from Ranma pushed him away.

Soon it became clear that he slightly underestimated the enraged boy as a sickly green\red battle aura, powerful enough to cause the very ground he was standing on to crack and slid away, flared to life.

Seeing this both Gi-clad martial artists jumped in two different directions. Genma as far away from the cliff as possible and Ranma to the cliff's edge where bandana-clad boy slowly slid down despite his efforts. When Ranma grabbed his hand and started to pull, he was suddenly pulled over the cliff's edge.

"We're going down together Ranma." laughed his opponent "I'll finally have my revenge!"

As they fell Ranma jumped away from the boy and steered closer to the cliff to stay away from springs.

'This way I, at least, wont get cursed' he mused looking at rapidly closing ground.

-

Back at his hut, Jusenkyo guide was slowly smoking his pipe, enjoying his day. After all, days when somebody visited the Pools of Sorrow and left uncursed were rare.

Hearing a whistling sound overhead he sighed, strongly suspecting that Jusenkyo got another victim. Looking up he saw two men, one of them was headed to the springs, while the other fell towards the dry ground.

Splash

Yellow and black dressed boy fell into the spring of a drowned attractive man.

Splash

The gi-clad boy made contact with the ground and a tall pillar of muddy water rose from his landing point.

"Oh, no. not this spring" panicked Jusenkyo guide as he hurried to the usually buried spring with a kettle full of hot water in hand.

-

As Ranma relived the feeling of change, he faintly cried in sleep, unaware of his father's attention to any noise.

-

Several minutes passed and newly uncovered spring was still once again.

The guide, surprisingly, looked hopeful "maybe customer drown and replace curse".

Hearing that, a worried look appeared on Genma face when he finally reached the pool, but he thought that his son was alive and well, because surely, it'll take something bigger than a simple fall to kill a Saotome!

-

Inside the spring Ranma slowly awoke.

"What just happened?" he wondered "I barely feel my body".

Idly floating in half-dazed state Ranma heard the guide talking about hidden spring.

When Ranma got out of the spring and looked around, thoughts one scarier than another started racing through his brain ' I fell into a spring. When old man fell into the spring he changed. That means I'm changed too. He is SOO dead! '

-

"Pops" suddenly yelled a young and very angry voice from mid-air above the spring «I'll kill you for taking me to these stupid springs!".

Thanks to ki that reinforced his body, Genma lasted whole 10 seconds before everything went black.

-

" 'Mr.' honorary customer fell in the spring of drowned... girl" said the guide as his hope was crushed... again." Very, very tragic story about this spring. Hot water reverses curse and cold activates it."

"Is there a cure?" asked Ranma as he took a quick look on the guide and looked away thinking

'Damn, I can see through his clothes. I think I'm going to be sick'.

"There is no cure here. Jusenkyo curses mix." answered the guide as he remembered a boy with enough courage to prove it.

"Just my luck" muttered Ranma.

"Come closer so I can pour hot water on you" asked guide lifting a hot water kettle.

'At least I'm invisible ' appeared slightly soothing thought as she noticed guide looking at the wrong places while speaking with her. 'Or I'll never live down THAT part of my curse.' thought Ranma stepping under the kettle.

Visible and male once again Ranma walked towards his backpack for spare clothes but stopped when an evil idea came to him.

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Yes, Mr. Customer."

"Can you get a bucket with that water and splash it on pops? Oh, and can you get my clothes back?" the boy.

And when the guide nodded, his mood almost returned to normal.

'Just you wait pops. I'll see how much you'll like being a young girl panda. Heh.'


	2. China adventures

Chapter 1.

Ranma's dream was interrupted by a sudden hot water shower that dropped him to the ground.

"Lazy boy! How many times have I told not to hide under your curse!?" lectured Genma as he attacked his son.

"Be quiet pops! Why can't you wake me up in some other way?"

"And allow you to get soft!? Never! Now hurry up, we're close to the village the Guide told us about!"

-

On their way to Amazon village Ranma used the bottle with water from the yesterday's rain to change. He wanted to study his cursed form more. He knew he was invisible (one of the things that almost compensated his inability to wear clothes) and could fly (albeit slower then he usually ran) but he wanted to study it as good as any technique he came across.

Also to Genma's displeasure she wasn't intangible to living things, as was demonstrated by kick when her father wanted to leave his son's backpack lying on the ground.

"It's because of you, we went to Jusenkyo. And unlike me you can carry things!"

Ensuring that her belongings will not be left behind, Ranma flitted around, staying on the ground level examining what she could and could not do.

Her new vision differed greatly, because now she saw all of the living things, from worms deep underground to the leaves atop the trees. It was a much deeper, multi-layered world, as if she floated inside a half-filled water balloon and that would've freaked her if Anything Goes weren't such an adaptation-oriented school.

As she reached down to touch a grass root, she tried to pull it out, but only tore it apart and the part she had in her hand soon lost most of its color and fell through her palm to the ground.

'That girl had some really weird powers' she thought, slightly surprised, and looked around for more interesting things to do.

Suddenly she, as her eyes noticed her father, was thankful that non-living, for example, clothes and backpacks were more like a fog or muddy water instead of a glass and the fact that Genma was carrying more than twice what he normally did since most of their supplies were in Ranma's backpack.

Genma had a whole host of reasons, or rationalizations, for this state of affairs. "It's good strength training for you." and "You should be willing to do it for your father." and "I need my hands free since I'm leading us." and "Because I said so." and, finally, the surprisingly effective "That's just the way it turned out when I was packing while you scrubbed the breakfast dishes. Now put the pots in your pack, and we'll leave."

-

Genma was also laboring without proper feeding, and after a short rain a fur coat only added to his displeasure. Plus his subconscious was asking him why male pandas, like himself, had a pouch for carrying a baby panda. Meanwhile his good for nothing son was behaving like a seven year old that ate too much sugar.

As the day progressed, she realized that she wasn't any hungrier than when she changed, while Genma's grumbling had progressed from griping about being the pack mule to being hungry.

-

Later her ability to practice martial arts, literally, on the fly, no backpacks to carry and no interruptions because of hunger started to grow on her. Sure that curse had its bad points but the biggest bad point right now seemed to be that she was getting used to spending time as a nude female redhead.

Ranma refrained from flying high in order to behave like she was walking along the road with her father. At some point she would have to fight her father again in this form. If Genma knew she was unable to bounce around off of objects like a super ball, Genma would take advantage; if Genma didn't know his son's capabilities, Genma couldn't do anything sneaky.

-

Finally they reached the Amazon village.

If they could see Ranma, they would have thought of them as a stranger and his trained panda but

Instead, when the Amazons looked for the panda's trainer they saw no one, and thought that panda was a messenger or a pack animal from one of the surrounding villages and mostly ignored it.

A 'starving' Genma noticed as he made inroads on the buffet happy that the same ability that made Ranma unable to carry his pack, made it impossible for Ranma to eat.

Ranma didn't really notice the food, being somewhat overwhelmed.

-

For the last week, he had gotten used to the female body he wore, although he hadn't examined it too closely due to embarrassment. And even though he was used to seeing his naked breasts floating on his chest,

He wasn't prepared for a town made of transparent houses. A town filled with attractive females wearing nearly invisible clothes; effectively nude females sparring, and doing kata. Ranma's stunned silence was taken by his father as sulking over Ranma's inability to eat, and immediately Genma proceeded to snigger and raspberry Ranma while he stuffed himself.

It had been several months since Ranma left the all-boy's school in Japan. Months without talking, even in passing, to a girl, in a life practically devoid of women, and here were dozens of gorgeous women putting on a display, unaware and therefore unashamed, beyond what Ranma could have conceived. It was like hitting Ranma's libido with a plank.

Fortunately, Ranma had no idea what he would do with one naked girl, much less dozens; especially as the body he was in was the wrong gender. Ranma lacked both the cultural conditioning, and the practical knowledge which might have led him into doing something wrong. Ranma was stunned silent, as he just stared openmouthed at the beautiful sight before him.

-

When the bonbori smashed Genma's seat, guards formed a circle around Genma and hot water was called for, everyone in the village saw tall and heavy middle-aged man, who wore dirty white gi.

"Why did you steal my prize, stranger?" asked the girl who just defeated her opponent in some kind of tournament nearby.

"Kill him Shampoo! How dared he to touch the Champions prize" yelled several angry voices behind her.

Not understanding Chinese Genma was unable to answer back as the number of angry voices grew.

Had Genma used the begging and pleading for mercy as he always did, he would have been allowed to work off his debt as an unfortunate, boneheaded move by a stupid foreigner. But Genma's pride lead him to declare "Well then, if my son defeats you, there is no problem, is there?"

Not understanding what he said, Amazons nevertheless understood that he wished to challenge them.

-

Meanwhile, Ranma had wandered off to look at what that couple were doing behind that invisible house while everyone else was distracted. While the couple would have received no more than a reprimand if they'd acted that way in public back in Japan, their public display of affection riveted Ranma's attention. By itself, it might have interested Ranma as a glimpse of how people interrelate. A glimpse of a life Genma did his best to hide. But with the couple's apparently invisible clothes, and their apparent love and lust for each other, restrained by social convention, and allowed slight release through necking in private, Ranma was oblivious to the boring excitement surrounding Genma.

-

Seeing her grandmother signal to her, Shampoo attacked the foreigner who was stupid enough to challenge her. She was expecting an easy win from the fat fool.

Genma defeated her quickly, before she could accurately gauge his skill, and proceeded to preen and gloat. He ran the gamut of emotions of surprise, through shock, to abject fear and flight for his life when Shampoo's reluctant kiss was followed by a volley of bladed weapons, spears, and bladed chains.

Genma saw Mousse's cry of "He must die!" as the first attack of the village, and fled before they could inflict severe injuries upon him. He grabbed both packs, shouted "Ranma!" with a pitiful desperation and made his best time in an eastern direction.

-

In the evening, after Genma lost that Amazon boy and Ranma finally found him, both martial artists decided to set up a camp for a night's rest.

"Why that Amazon wanted to kill you, pops?" asked Ranma looking at badly torn shirt he just pulled out of his backpack.

"And why did you have to block with my backpack anyway? You could've just knock him out, you know" he yelled." Now my things are ruined!"

"Boy" answered his father as he quickly ate their makeshift dinner "I wasn't just running away. I was practicing our family's secret technique. Besides, that boy was as blind as a bat. There is no challenge in defeating someone like him"

-

Later when Genma was already asleep, a torrent of thoughts kept Ranma awake.

'I wonder what else I can do? I can see through any object if I want, even fly through them. I wonder if weapons can hurt me now. And I'm invisible so element of surprise should be always on my side."

"Nah, it can't that simple." he answered to himself "There's always a catch."

After several minutes of restless turning around in his bed, he sighed in defeat.

"I guess I'll have to experiment some or I'll never get any sleep".

Walking to the camp fire, he prepared both cold and hot water and splashed himself with the former.

Later when he was getting bored with the environment, he proceeded to enjoy doing stationary kata while flying in different directions at a uniform pace. While they did help her adjust to the differences in her new body, they also pointed out that her ground based kata were even more in need of revisal than her aerial attacks. Implicit in most of her ground based attacks was traction with the ground, not to mention gravity or ability to move herself without use of her legs.

She would have to learn to fight in freefall. Her most useful attacks for this form were based on fighting on slippery substances, and the softer arts of T'ai chi. On the other hand, attacking from underground aught to win her a few fights until she restored his ability to where it should be.

-

When she finished his experiments and reached for the hot water, she noticed a strange glow in her father's aura. When she focused his attention, a strange and complicated symbol made from glowing lines embedded into her father's aura came into view.

'I wonder what is this thing' wondered the redhead as she flied closer to her father and touched one of the glowing lines. Feeling its smooth surface she grabbed the line and pulled. To her surprise she succeeded in pulling the entire thing out.

Floating near her sleeping bag, Ranma examined the glowing cube shaped crystal with words in unknown language flowing through dark colored deeps that she held in her hands.

'I can touch it so must be some magical thingy' she thought trying to ignore the feeling her test object seemed to emanate until it almost made her feel sick.

'It must be poisoned or something' she decided and crushed the strange crystal in her hand. A small ball made from much darker crystal remained while the rest of shards turned into a smoke and merged with her hand causing a sudden dizziness.

'That's it. I had enough weird thing for one day' thought Ranma stretching in mid-air before lowering herself to the ground level and closing her eyes with a yawn.

-

Early in the morning Saotome Genma woke up hoping, as usual, that Jusenkyo and Amazons were just a bad dream, but when he looked around he noticed Ranma's torn backpack and sighed.

"It's true. I hope No-Chan won't kill us when she finds out."

Bah!" he whispered as leapt on his feet" Of course she'll kill us. Now, where is that boy hiding?"

As he walked around their camp he suddenly tripped over somebody.

"Ranma?" he asked but when he reached down, his hand stumbled onto something soft and round.

"What's the…" he mumbled as he squeezed it.

"What's the…" mirrored Ranma as a spike of pain from her chest woke her up.

"Get away from me, you stupid old man!" cried the girl as she punched her father into the nearest tree after seeing his hand. "Gah. That hurt! Never knew my chest is so sensitive".

-

She looked around and saw her father slowly rising to his feet.

"Hey, pops. Change me back, will you?"

"Who's there?" asked Genma in a strange voice.

"It's me pops. Ranma" came an annoyed answer "Now get me some hot water already!"

As Genma put a kettle on fire he asked:

"Son, who was girl I tripped on earlier?" and hearing no response, taunted him "I can't believe that you lied to me about your curse. My son is such a honorless liar!"

"Shut up, pops! I'm a guy!" yelled Ranma punching her father in the head.

"And it wasn't me! She was passing by, then she kneeled near you and soon passed out"

"I can't believe that you overslept our practice!" yelled Genma suddenly turning around and spraying hot water in a wide arc.

"When I get my clothes on, I'll beat you in the ground!" yelled now male Ranma dashing to his clothes.

"You don't stand a chance against me, boy! Unless you beg that girl for help!" taunted Genma leaping at still undressed boy.

-

Later that afternoon while both martial artists were walking through a small village, Genma felt a long forgotten urge as he looked at women around him.

'Bah. This feeling always gives me a false hope' he thought his mood darkening.

When the urge only got stronger, he remembered this morning accident.

"Ranma, do you remember what that girl did to me? It's very important!"

Ranma, who was enjoying a warm and, more importantly, a rainless day answered.

"You can ask her yourself pops. She said she'll join us soon"

"Hey, old man, is everything okay?" asked Ranma slightly worried. His father was that quiet and careful only when his, or more often Ranma's, life was at stake.

"I'm fine" answered Genma, his tone unusually pleasant and distracted.

-

Later, after a successful shopping trip both martial artists were running out of the village.

Genma barely caught up with his son after they met several cats in the house he just robbed.

"Damn, those cats" murmured Ranma when they were far enough. "I don't even have any food on me, why they jumped on me?"

"Say Pops, why did you take that?" he asked pointing at the small sack in Genma's hand. «I doubt any of this shrine stuff is really made from gold."

"A true martial artist always must be prepared to with everything, my boy. Even with supernatural"

Ranma elbowed his father in the gut "Like Jusenkyo? I doubt it'll help you with that curse, old man. Or you plan to summon some demon and sell me to him for curing it?"

"Silence! How dare you think about that low! Now hurry up, we have a lot of ground to cover."

-

At the dusk, after setting up the camp, both martial artists sparred as usual, well actually it was more like Ranma trying to beat up his father for eating everything himself since Genma knew that his cursed form never got hungry.

When the sparring ended and Genma collapsed on his bed, Ranma prepared for sleep.

"Almost forgot" he grinned and put away cold water as he remembered his newest morning fight prevention plan.

Almost every morning started with hot water finding him wherever he went. How it was possible to find

Silent and invisible target still puzzled him, but the mid-air sleep was too restful to give up.

Walking to his father's backpack he fished out the matches and digging a deep hole with his hand he buried them. "Heh. He's too lazy to light the fire the old-fashion way, so I'm safe. "

Checking the water in the kettle in case he wanted to turn back, he triggered his curse.

-

Ranma was already half-asleep when a loud hiss came from somewhere in the darkness around campfire.

"C-c-cat?" stammered Ranma feeling the panic starting to rise inside.

"Now be reasonable, you are invisible and can fly, no cat can harm you." she said to herself in a calming tone. While she repeated those words, she noticed some dark shape from behind the trees moving closer.

When it moved in the circle of campfire's light, Ranma noticed it's was feline shaped and was so dark in color that it looked like a piece of night itself.

With a loud hiss that made her blood run cold, the creature of darkness surged forward.

Ranma moving on reflexes, dodged out of the creature's way, accompanied by several loud clangs from where she was a second ago.

'Wait, that wasn't a feline's hiss! It was more like words! 'Relieved that her enemy wasn't a cat

Ranma attacked it, as soon as the creature stopped, and bypassing its defenses spin-kicked it away.

As it flew away it hissed " I Will have the magic inside of you spirit" before disappearing into the night's sky.

Suddenly a small smoke shield appeared before her and shivered slightly as several white glowing spikes embedded themselves into it with a familiar clang.

"That was definitely not a c-cat" murmured redhead looking at spikes as last traces of fear left her.

Curious, Ranma reached around the shield to touch one of the spikes and…

"Ouch!" came out a painful cry and the girl leaped back shaking her hand. "It stings... oww…"

"I must've cut my finger open" she said bringing her hand closer to her eyes.

As she inspected her hand for signs of injury a faint but clear sound attracted her attention.

Lifting her eyes she saw the shield that protected her earlier growing with its edges curling until it became a hollow sphere that quickly decreased its size, crushing the spikes inside.

"Heh" smirked Ranma as she looked at the ball she extracted yesterday from her father's aura. "No way I'm going to lose you now" She grabbed the ball and thinking quickly tied the ends of several strands of her crimson hair around the ball.

'I wonder if I look like those weird monks that always tied weapons inside their hair. What was their name again? Martial Arts Hair Styling? Or was it Hair clubbing, they mostly used clubs anyway' she thought bringing her index finger to her chin and blinked when saw a glow surround her face.

Quickly looking down she saw a cut on her finger that bled white-bluish glow instead of blood.

Gasping in shock she remembered her attacker's last words.

'A spirit?! But…how? That's why I'm invisible, can't touch things' the part of her began to feel satisfied at finding an answer to the question about her powers when the main fact about spirits hit her.

'Spirits are not alive.' She turned to her blissfully snoring father with disbelieving look on her face and a wave of dizziness hit her.

'I'm not even alive when I'm like this? Wait, what if my guy side heartbeat is as fake as this one!?'

"Damn you, old man. How could you kill your own son?!"

Upon reaching her mental endurance limit, her eyes closed and she lost consciousness.

-

Early in the morning Genma woke up. Shielding his eyes from the sunlight he looked on his watch and cursed "I can't believe I woke too early. I'll have to restore myself from that cure."

As he got up, he looked around and seeing nobody frowned. His frown deepened when he saw no matches either.

"How is that ungrateful son of mine can expect me to improve his skill if he keeps using cheap tricks to hide from the training?"

Walking around their camp find what Ranma hid and then scold him for hiding it badly, his shoulder hit something invisible and rather startled, he jumped back to gather his thoughts.

"Ha. It must be him." He exclaimed before he reached out with his both arms to check who it was.

His hands traced the body from hips to waist and higher… Genma's mouth ran dry when his hands rested on, obviously, women's body. The urge that was released after all these years pounced and successfully seized his mind as his hands started to caress her chest. Suddenly a memory of an invisible girl punching him with bone crushing force appeared in his mind and attempted to break his daze. However after a short loosing battle it was pushed aside and Genma continued not noticing that girl was waking up.

-

Ranma woke up feeling better than she usually in the mornings. Smiling from the pleasant feeling that ran through her body, she stretched and opened her eyes.

All traces of her smile vanished when she saw Genma, his hands and remembered her tonight's revelations.

Shoving him so hard that he flew towards nearest tree she yelled in fury "You!!"

Her vision went lost all the colours but black and white when her battle aura flared to life.

"Bastard!!" She concentrated and her energy poured into her hand.

Genma's first thought when found himself sitting on the ground was to beg for forgiveness but his throat froze when he saw a ghostly girl appear where he was seconds ago.

The ghost was bathed in streams of flame weaving around her body before flowing into the fireball she held in her left hand.

As the girl gradually became visible, more and more of her features were revealed. And it wasn't

her eyes that were twin pools of white hot fire or her crimson hair that turned white ,with a bright star within, when it started to flow in an invisible wind, or even bright white\blue battle aura that turned his blood to ice, it was her face.

'No-Chan' was his last coherent thought before "Die!! " split the air and a sphere created from fire, tore towards him, scorching the grass and his bed on it's way.

The ice crystals that covered his body resisted the heat before fireball exploded and its shockwave threw him through several trees before he was stopped by a boulder.

"Should've done it a long time ago" evilly smiled Ranma watching as her father's limp body slid off the boulder and fell to the ground. Turning around she chuckled "It figures. I had to die to get a ki-blast ".

She flew towards the kettle, which miracolously still had water inside and leaned to pick it up and put it on a pile of spare firewood that was set aflame by her attack.  
When her fingers actually touched the handle before they went through she gasped in shock.

"Why wont it happen again?" she asked, biting her lip when she tried to grabbed it again and again and failed.

-

Two hours later she was as far away from her goal as in the beginning. Sighing, she decided to figure it out later. And if she couldn't figure it out by herself, she could blast Genma and then try.

Flying closer to her father's body, she frowned when she couldn't see any burns or blood on him.

"I knew he hid most of the best techniques from me. That attack would've flattened anyone else I know"

'I'll get this technique out of him even if it kills him.'

"C'mon, old man! Wake up! "she yelled, kicking him several times.

"Ranma?" came the weak question as Genma's eyes opened.

"Yeah, it's me. Get up and boil some water already."

"Son, who was that woman? Is she still around? "he asked fearfully.

He wanted to answer no because seeing him that beaten up made a faint trace of guilt appear, but she answered "Yeah. I'm here "anticipating a priceless look on her father's face.

When Genma cried "Crouch of a wild tiger" and took a strange stance, it all but stunned her.

'He's going to fight back? Never knew you had it in you, old man'

'And with unknown style, no less' she smirked taking a stance, developed only recently and prepared to meet anything he could dish out.

"I'm sorry!" Genma began bowing as he pleaded for mercy.

If the gravity had any hold on her, Ranma would've immediately facefaulted, hard.

"I'm sorry!"

"What kind of a stupid technique is that?!" Any respect her father got in the last minute evaporated, as she facepalmed in embarrassment.

"C'mon stop it! You're embarrassing me!"

"I'm sorry!"

"All right! Fine! I forgive you, now stop it!" shouted spirit girl.

"Now boil some water, would you?"

'Sometimes I can't understand how we can be related" she thought, shaking her head, before using air as a couch to wait for water.

-

"What was the name of that spirit?" asked the elder Saotome after they entered a small town.

Ranma briefly thought about saying that she left and start sleeping very high in the air but any accident after a random cold water splashing could ruin and he answered "She'll tell you herself"

"It's not Nodoka, is it?" The boy turned to his father.

"What? No. I think it's. Why do you ask? "

"Oh, nothing. " answered Genma fingering the postcard he was about to send to his friend "Perhaps we should make one more stop before returning to Japan."

-

Two weeks of travel later Ranma still tried and failed to master the technique of interacting with non-living objects in his cursed form. He already knew that if he concentrated he could touch them, but as soon as he applied any pressure his hand went right through. The only pleasant thing to happen in last weeks was that he couldn't find any differences between his pre- and past- Jusenkyo uncursed forms.

He was already thinking about repeating what happened in the morning he learned a ki-blast (he was able fire it again once and only in his cursed form, a fact that diminished his patience almost as bad)

-

But fortunately for Genma's hide a rain helped Ranma to achieve a breakthrough.

"Stupid rain, stupid curse" said Ranma through clenched teeth as every piece of clothing, even his hair string, fell to the ground and his suddenly a lot curvier body stopped feeling sunlight and wind.

"Why can't I master that stupid technique?! " she yelled, frustrated.

When the world around started to turn monochrome once again she noticed Genma assuming his Crouch of the wild tiger stance while staring at her in fear.

"What do ya looking at?"

"Nothing, nothing oh honorary spirit" repeated Genma, shielding his eyes with his hand "I saw nothing believe me".

Blinking, she looked down at her naked body, he had that expression only when he was caught peeping on women. 'He can see me? How?'

"Am I visible?" she asked surprised and Genma proved it with more denials.

'Now why am I visible now? I tried so hard and nothing' soon last pieces in a puzzle finally clicked into place and she understood.

'I'm visible whenever I'm angry and release my battle aura! I bet I finally mastered it!'

With a happy yell, that rather startled her father, she leaned to her shirt and put it on.

But her happiness was short lived as the pressure from both heavy muddy shirt and pouring rain passed a certain hated threshold and caused her to become naked again.

Disappointed, she swore to herself that soon, nothing short walking through wall will remove cloth from her cursed form because, frankly, not being able to spar using the techniques she developed for her cursed form was annoying. Not to mention that it'll mostly remove her fear to be hit by hot water while a part of her was accidentally inside something solid. And if she had to say that her forms had different personalities, she will not hesitate.

-

Next day as they walked, Genma knows where, they were watched by two people that finally tracked their target down.

"We will ambush them from there" said one of them, brushing her lavender hair back and pointing to the pile of rocks near the road.

"You are too soft to him, Shan Pu. After all, obstacles are for killing "said another, a young man dressed in white robe.

"Grandmother said that we can't kill him, but she will not punish us if an accident will make him unsuitable to be my Airen"

-

As Saotomes approached the ambush spot, the Amazons prepared a plan for their attack.

"Mu tse, you distract the girl and I kill the panda-man"

"But she's no threat! He probably picked up an orphan. It'll be much better if I capture him for you" protested Mousse, eager to kill the old man and that earned him an angry whisper.

"Are you too blind to see how is that girl walking? Only powerful warriors can walk like that! "

When the time came, Shampoo jumped out and ran to the panda-man, but when she noticed Mousse launching a barrage of knives at her target she cursed and changed her course.

She jumped at the redheaded girl, hoping to remove her from battle with a powerful overhead swing but her target simply glided out her way, dodging both the swing and follow-up. After seeing that impossible feat, Amazon took out a second weapon, a mace, and attacked.

When Ranma's danger sense flared, she immediately flew to the side, leaning back to dodge an overhead sword swing from an unknown girl. Immediately, her attacked drew another weapon and resumed her attack.

'What's her problem?' came a confused thought, but seeing her father running away from a barrage of bladed steel launched with a clear murderous intent by a young man wearing thick glasses, cleared that up.

"Sorry, but you are going down" growled Ranma using gravity defying maneuver to go above horizontal sword slash and, kicking away the mace that Shampoo tried to block with, delivered a powerful kick to the head.

Resuming vertical position and stepping away from unconscious girl she watched her father weave around torrents of deadly metal until he got close and knocked out the white robed boy before he could block with two swords that appeared from within his sleeves.

When Genma gathered both theirs and unfortunate pair's supplies and they walked away, Ranma asked with irritation clear in her voice "Pops, what really happened in that village? There's no way they ran through half of the country just to get you for stealing some food!"

Sweating Genma quickly answered "It's food! Nothing else, I swear! "

-

A few days later both martial artists reached their destination, a big old temple.

"Finally we are here boy." exclaimed Genma "One of the famous temples in China that rumored to hold a great treasure." Catching a glare from his son, he quickly added "A spiritual treasure of course"

"Yeah, right." snorted Ranma "If you splash me with cold water again and try to get her to spy for you again, she'll use you for target practice"

"Now see here, boy! I'm perfectly capable of borrowing all of the treasures by myself! "

Before Genma could dig himself even deeper, the temple gates silently opened and an old priest stepped out.

"Good day travelers. What brought you here? "

"I came here for the knowledge" answered Genma. "I also read that this temple is a training ground of a powerful fighting style"

"Can I see that book?" asked priest with carefully masked steel in his voice.

As he paged through the book, he said "Yes, centuries ago in this temple was created a powerful style that was used by warrior priests. But it lost long time ago" abruptly closing the book, and turning around he motioned them to follow.

When they entered the temple grounds, Genma said "Stay here boy. I must talk with him alone"

-

After his father left with the priest, Ranma dropped his backpack and looked around.

The temple was rather big and looked more like a fortress. Its walls were high with towers in corners and the bushes that grew near could be used to conceal traps. The temple itself consisted from a tall building that was surrounded by a lower ring-shaped one.

However it was a multitude of paper wards on the walls that caught his attention.

Deciding to check them, he pulled out everything he needed to boil water and started a fire.

Several minutes later when the hot water was ready, he splashed himself with cold.

A tingle that indicated the change ran through his body and everything around changed.

After rearranging her clothes she flew to the wards to study them. As she reached out to remove one of them from the wall, her skin suddenly tingled as if she was standing in middle of a lightning storm. Frowning, she stopped and tried to read what was written on those wards.

-

Meanwhile, Genma followed the priest into the inner temple building.

"Do you know anything about spirits?" he asked once they were seated.

"Yes traveler but my knowledge is limited. What do you want to know?"

"Around a month ago I and my son visited Jusenkyo training ground. We both were afflicted with a curse that changes us with cold water. Soon after through my superior perception I noticed that a spirit started to follow us, who looks just like my wife in her younger years, can throw fireballs and takes my son place and even clothes when his curse triggers. "

"Is your wife alive?" asked the elderly priest and receiving a nod went deep into the thought.

Awaiting answer Genma could only hope that it will be not along the lines of She's your family spirit guardian that will make you atone for your sins.

Finally the priest answered.

" It's probable that the spirit you speak of, was attracted by the curse in the boy and possessed or even replaced his other form so she could both experience the joys of living and feed off the magic inside "

"But why him? And why does she look like my wife?" asked Genma.

"It might be because she was still young in her last hour and wanted the one closer to her age. And she might not remember how she looked like so looks like your child if he was born female. "

'Damn it! She could cure my curse but preferred the boy over the head of the clan and master of family school?!' For a second Genma wanted to say this and even more to the spirit girl once he meets her again but quickly reconsidered because it would be very painful to do so.

"Tell me, wise one. How can one hope to placate a spirit that was angered for no good reason? "

The priest gave him a sharp glare before standing up and looking in the direction of temple gates.

Soon his attention returned to Genma "To make amends that'll sooth an angered spirit you must pray at the shrine she lives near." His voice hinted at disgust now "But to bribe one, you must find her either a source of life force or in your case, magic. An enchantment or better a powerful item she can feed off. "

"Now I must leave you for a minute"

The very second the priest walked out of the door, Genma switched to his thief mode and intently inspected the room. He quickly noticed a floor plank that was older then the rest and used less powerful version of Yamasenken to silently cut through it, exposing a small ornate box that was hidden under.

-

Ranma barely made any progress with translating Chinese when she heard a familiar sound. Quickly descending she used hot water and waited for running Genma to approach before running away with him.

-

"So, what did you steal this time?" asked Ranma when they were far but not far enough not to hear screams of Thief! Thief! .

"Bah! It's in Chinese" said Genma trying to read the scrolls he took out of the box he stole.

Ranma facepalmed "Of course it's in Chinese! We're in China, remember? "

"Useless junk" muttered Genma before putting the scrolls in to the box and throwing it far away in the bushes.

"Ranma, can you change? I want to speak with that spirit"

"What for?"

"Don't ask questions! Just do!" snapped Genma, his eyes reddening from anger.

"Okay, okay, Sheesh!" answered his son taking a bottle of water off his travel belt, thinking that this dual personality business became annoying.

After cold water splashing a redheaded girl looked at her suddenly calm father.

"Okay, what do you want?"

"I wanted to ask you if you could cure my Jusenkyo curse?" asked Genma, politeness and respect simply oozing from his every word.

Blinking is surprise, Ranma came to the only conclusion she could think about "Old man, did that old priest hit you on the head or something? You know I can't do that"

"Oh no, I'm far too skilled for that elderly priest " answered Genma even politer than before while anger boiled inside. 'Can't do that she says! Bleh, I'm sure she wants to save my curse as a reserve while she eats the spell on the boy. '

-

"Are you sure about this?" asked Ranma when she heard Genma's newest plan to get free food from people.

"It's a foolproof plan" ensured her elder Saotome as he knocked on the door.

The opened and middle aged woman looked out. "Yes? What do you want? "

"I'm a traveler on a path of enlightenment and this girl is spirit given to me by Gods to be my guide. Unfortunately my food was poisoned by forces that try to stop me and my only hope is now if somebody shares their food with me"

The woman was about to shut the door, pretty sure it was just a trick, but the girl did have something otherworldly about her. Perhaps the faint glow around her and feeling that her feet didn't touch the ground were illusions caused by hot mid-day sun, but she knew from legends what happened to those who denied hospitality to mythical beings.

"I must call my husband first. Please wait here" she said and hurried inside

"I still can't believe I agreed to this. Couldn't you get a job or something instead?" asked Ranma, not looking to the proving her otherworldly status.

"A job will take too much time of our time. We must hurry to Japan."

"Feh. I bet if you even had any money you'd spend them …"

Their idle talk was interrupted by a man in early fifties who walked in the doorway and briefly looked at Genma before laughing.

"Path of enlightenment? You!? Get out before I call police and take your messenger with you."

Ranma resentfully sighed and took a knife from her father, ignoring worry that appeared on the face of the man in doorway. She slowly drove the blade through her palm, slightly wincing when it cut through her battle aura, which was made tangible, as monks in one the monasteries they got their free food from told her, by fusion of life and, native to her state, spiritual energies. Even though it hurt her, like plate armor injures knight when it caves in, that technique was far too useful to ignore.

"…... I'm Lu Yang and this is my wife Shan. Come on in, the fish I caught today is waiting for us" said the house owner motioning them both inside.

A bit later, when Genma was busy stuffing both himself and his bag, the whole family stared at the redhead. And when she saw both greed and desire in Lu's eyes and for poor soul stuck between worlds look from his wife, Ranma tried her best not to wince in disgust.

'Man, this one surely is one of the worse houses. And children probably think I'm a warrior from legends or something 'she thought, looking at two eight year old girls who watched her every move with awe.

-

Far away from that small coastal town, two weary travelers entered their home village. One of them immediately walked towards Matriarch's house, and removed his dusty cloak, revealing lavender-haired girl beneath.

"Grandmother, we must talk" she said as soon as she entered a big room occupied by her grandmother Cologne, leader of Amazons

"What happened, granddaughter? Where is your husband?" asked Cologne slightly surprised by her child's forwardness.

"Aiya." sighed Shampoo "Husband is guarded by a very powerful warrior. I couldn't even give her the Kiss. She could be from Musk."

"Musk?" Matriarch blinked in surprise. She didn't expect that male to be smart or rich enough to hire a bodyguard that could defeat her granddaughter.

"She can't be Musk, child. Prince Herb is the only powerful female those scum have."

But her mild laugh died when Shampoo started to describe their fights with that warrior.

"She moves with such grace and speed that it seems that she never touches the ground and no matter how hard we tried hit her weapons go through her afterimages. And there were days when we couldn't find her even in a field"

Seeing her grandmother expression harden and thinking that it could mean a punishment for lying, Shampoo quickly finished "We tracked her to the coast. I heard that she wanted to go to the Tokyo, Japan." Before dismissing her child, Cologne asked another question.

"Did that warrior used potions or incense?"

"No, and we tried to fight her from afar as well."

-

Watching Shampoo leave, Matriarch lit her pipe and mused about the whole situation, her thoughts shaping clouds of smoke via ki projection.

'First a male appears on the day Shampoo becomes Champion and effortlessly defeats her and now a warrior appears, wielding power I can ignore as an Amazon Elder'.

"Even if this is for luring us in another country where a trap might be waiting, I don't have a choice."

Cologne glanced at one of her bookcases, where covered by glass was a very old painting of a short but handsome young man, before walking out.

"Oh, Happi, I wish you were here with me now."

-

Meanwhile, somewhere in the sea between China and Japan, in lone boat that made its way towards Tokyo, a white gi-clad man argued with a redheaded girl that flew near.

"Stop splashing me! You'll wash the fish oil away"

"If I won't catch fish, you'll starve to death! Quit whining!" answered the girl lazily flying around in circles before she dived and soon surfaced with a fish in her hands whose desperate movements splashed even more water on Genma.

Unfortunately for Ranma, a day before they reached their target, her ki-reserves she used for her visibility technique, ran out. And this sudden loss extremely scared her. She even started to think that soon her voice, and the rest of things that made her more noticeable than a gust of wind will disappear as well.

And with no hot water around, that day turned into a nightmare.


	3. Life in Nerima

Chapter 2.

It was a rainy day in Tokyo, a fact that the redheaded girl, who walked alongside her father, greatly despised.

'I hate this curse. Even c-cats pale in comparison to not being able to change back to a guy.' She shuddered as her earlier thoughts of gradually losing ability to touch, speak or be visible returned.

'But people usually treat my girl side so nice. Father never did even a hundredth of those things. I wish I didn't had to give it up along with the curse .'

Glancing at Genma, her thoughts continued 'Especially since he, and everybody who knows that he's my father, always tries to force me into something as soon as I get hot water.'

Accompanied by those depressing thoughts and rain, she followed her father through the city.

-

Usually, people who lived in Nerima district paid little to no attention to strange things, but a young glowing girl yelling at panda drew more then one surprised stare.

"A fiancée?! How dare you pick my fiancée without even asking me?"

Genma tried to pull his head even closer to shoulders, cursing that the one he told about that prearranged marriage was that spirit instead of his, far easier to control, son.

Please listen read the sign that suddenly appeared in panda's paw via Amazon Hidden Weapons style he stole from that blind boy.

"I had a bad day, old man. And if it's another you must obey what our family honor tells you I'll show you how bad it was."

No. My friend Tendo has a spell on him flip If you can remove it, that magic is yours

'Got you.' thought panda-man, when he saw her eyes light with anticipation. He knew that without external power source she could only throw small fireballs, a fact that saved him from a lot of burns.

-

Nerima, as all Tokyo wards, had a lot of dojos where respected masters taught their students what they learned during their lifetime of training, but in Tendo dojo that routine ended a lot of time ago. Its master, Tendo Soun currently was busy crying tears of joy as he hugged a postcard that was delivered just now.

Bringing Ranma from China. We'll arrive very soon. Genma read the postcard.

"Girls!" he called out. "Kasumi, where are others?"

"Akane is in the dojo and Nabiki is in her room" said a voice so calm that one will think of it as tranquil and another as low on energy

"Can you ask them to join me? I have an important announcement to make."

"What kind of announcement, Daddy?" asked one of the girls that returned with Kasumi.

Tendo patriarch waited until everybody took their seat and said with pride and importance clear in his voice.

"Ten years ago, I and my closest friend Genma made a plan to strengthen our school. I settled here and created a dojo, while my friend took his son on ten year long training trip with a goal to create a perfect heir for our school. And soon he'll arrive with his son and Ranma will chose one of you as his fiancée."

-

Long silence, during which Tendo girls tried to understand how their own father could marry one of them to somebody they never met, was interrupted by Akane who understood what Soun was talking about, albeit in her own way.

"Perfect heir?! What am I then?! Oh, that's right, you taught me the art only because Mother made you do it! You always intended to make us perfect wife for somebody we never met!"

When Akane mentioned her mother, everybody in the room winced because even ten years later it was a Very sensitive topic.

"Now girls, it's a matter of family honour. And even though I never met the boy, I'm sure…"

The only thing that saved him from furious youngest Tendo, was a front door opening and closing again.

"It must be them!" cried almost ecstatic Soun leaping to his feet.

-

Several seconds later a pair of visitors entered the room, a short girl whose loose red hair fit well with her red and black clothing and a young panda.

"So, is he the guy you told me about?" she asked the panda as she pointed at the man in brown Gi.

That's right read the sign that appeared in panda's paw.

Suddenly, as if a switch was turned on, Tendo girls expressions turned from anger or confusion to adoration.

"Oh, what a cute little panda. Is it yours? How did you train it to use signs?"

-

Sweatdropping, both the girl and the panda took a step back.

Cure my friend flip Even if he was foolish enough to teach his daughters Kawaii-ken techniques. read the next sign as the panda tried to hide behind redheaded girl's back.

"Oh, right. The curse." she mumbled, inspecting Soun's aura.

Don't worry old friend. flip She'll remove our master's curse

-

Focusing her senses, Ranma finally found the spell in that man's aura and when she saw it, it almost made her physically ill. Instead of faint, thin lines that made up a rigid figure she saw in her father's aura, Tendo's were bloated and barely held their shape, pulsing as if threatening to burst from inside pressure. It almost looked alive, in a disgusting sort of way.

"Gah. No way I'm touching him." she said, her feelings clear in her voice, as she edged away from brown Gi-clad man.

"She knows! I'll forever suffer from that curse." wailed Soun.

"Why you! How dare you talk to my father like that!" yelled Akane, switching her temper once again and, lifting the table, attacked their guest with an overhead swing.

-

Normally, Ranma would've easily dodged such a crude attack, but a nausea from watching Soun's curse dulled her senses.

The table smashed through her body, leaving her naked and gritting her teeth in pain. It also flattened the panda proving it was no illusion.

"Now, why did you that for?!" those words broke the delicate mental balance and everyone before her, fainted.

Watching Tendos fall over with a small satisfaction, Ranma got her things, including a panda, from under the table and went to the kitchen for some hot water.

-

Ranma already made himself several cups of tea and, bored, wanted to revive everyone with pressure points, when people in the room stirred and slowly came back to the living world.

"Ugh. What hit me" asked Genma, shaking his head.

"A table." replied the boy with a smirk "Good thing that blunt weapons can't trash my shirt."

He turned to waking Tendos and asked

"So, what we are going to do now? My girl-side doesn't want that spell."

"Hmm…" Genma quickly went through options he had. Simply knocking the boy out, so he could think of a foolproof plan, would only make that blasted spirit inside of him mad. Walking away as his son suggested was out of the question as well. That left only bribing.

"If you promise to stay here for a day, I'll tell you a secret, one that is very important to the spirit in you."

"A secret?" asked Ranma lifting his eyebrow "Just how many things are you hiding from me, old man?"

"Eh-heh-heh," looking for an escape Genma noticed that his friend was awake, and ran to hug him.

"Tendo, I'm glad to finally see you!"

"Saotome? Finally you are here. Ah, and you must be Ranma"

-

Rising to his feet, Soun said "Meet my daughters: Kasumi, she's 19, Nabiki, she's 17 and Akane, 16. Chose one of them and she'll be your fiancée."

"Tendo." probed Genma when he noticed the looks on their children faces, but the head of household was oblivious to interruptions.

"We must talk now!"

"About what? Everything is perfect."

"No, I must tell you our story. You see, in the end of our journey we visited legendary training grounds of Jusenkyo. While I was teaching the boy something attacked and despite our best efforts we fell into the pools below."

"Now" sighed Genma, making his best crushed victim face. "I'm cursed to turn into a panda when cold water hits me. My poor son had his curse removed by a passing spirit in exchange of giving that spirit ability to take over his body."

"Oh please." said Nabiki looking incredulously at their guests "I can understand that you want to break that ridiculous marriage, but that's a stupidest excuse I ever heard."

-

Genma took a cup of cold water and quickly poured it on his son, jumping away before the redheaded girl that took Ranma's place could retaliate.

"So it wasn't a dream?" asked the eldest daughter while her sisters and father shared blank looks.

"Most of the time I wish it was. Hello, I'm Ranma, pleased to meet you." smiled Ranma.

"Same name as the boy?"

"Well, we do share memories and a lot of other stuff, so I'm okay to be called same as him."

"But that's not proper. Please tell us your name so we could offer our prayers for you." Said Kasumi, thinking that, maybe, that girl was an answer to all the prayers she made, hoping that her family, she held so dear, will unite again.

'Man, she's a stubborn one.' thought Ranma 'Ok, lemme see. Ranko? Nah, to girlish. Isamu? No. Hideko? Meh, okay. It's not like I'm going to use it much anyway.'

"Hideko."

Kasumi nodded with a smile, while Nabiki and Genma got calculative looks in their eyes.

"I'll prepare our shrine right away."

"Kasumi, don't tell me you believe him… her?" asked Akane. She knew that girl didn't dodge her earlier attack, but ghost don't really exist, do they?

"I may believe that you really changed, albeit it could've been hypnosis of some kind, but don't me ask to believe that you are a ghost." said Nabiki mirroring thoughts of her younger sister.

In response, Ranma moved her hand through the pillow Genma threw to her, her sleeve riding up her hand as she did so.

Both Tendo girls shared a look of complete surprise but their actions were different. Nabiki excused herself and went upstairs while Akane said

"So, miss perfect heir. Let's go to the dojo, if you are not afraid of me that is."

"I'm not afraid of any table-waving tomboys. But don't worry; I'll go easy on you."

-

Left alone, fathers immediately broke the silence they kept during their children conversation.

"Saotome, this is horrible! We must call the priest right away, before that possession becomes permanent!"

Sweating from the thought that his son wasn't far enough yet, Genma tried to calm his friend.

"I assure you, the change is controlled by water. And don't tell attempt exorcism, Hideko is our chance!"

"What chance, Saotome? We must unite our families as was promised and I can't allow that affliction here! What if shell grow tired of your son and possesses one of my daughters?!"

"Tendo, you remember the reason behind our pact, right?" asked Genma in a dry voice, thinking that his friend wasn't as cunning as ten years ago.

"Yes, to unite our families and live our lives in peace. Why do you ask?"

"No, the real reason!" seeing his friend's blank look, Genma sighed.

"The seal we used to lock Him will not hold for much longer. And the reason I went on that training trip was to create a fighter that could defeat or kill Him, even the family honor and your Dojo are secondary to evading His revenge."

"And Ranma will not be ready for, at least, several years, but Hideko, my friend, might be capable of protecting us if she stays here. And to keep her we can't force the marriage right now."

Soun's firm gaze wavered significantly upon mentioning their master. In a disappointed voice he said, "Very well my old friend. I'll delay the marriage, but I do hope that it'll be soon."

'That's right, old friend. I can't take a chance of Hideko leaving because she was married to the woman, not until she cures my curse' thought Genma smiling before suggesting Soun to prepare a Go board while he went for some sake.

'Now to deliver news to that girl.'

-

In the dojo, Ranma dodged a combination attack and lightly tapped Akane on her shoulder… again. Akane whirled around trying to land a hit, but she was too tired for that maneuver and fell to the floor.

"You all right Akane?" asked the redhead, helping her sparring partner.

"I'm fine." youngest Tendo limped to the nearest towel to wipe the sweat from her face. After that she turned around and asked with uncertainty.

"You're a real spirit, are you?"

"As far as I know, yeah I'm real."

"And you can see other spirits, right?" uncertainty in Akane's eyes grew but at the same time, a sliver of hope appeared.

"Well, yeah. Why do you ask?"

"Umm… Did you saw a young woman named Kimiko Tendo? She promised that she'll stay with us."

"No. can't say I did…" answered Ranma trying to recall the spirits she met. 'A homicidal f-feline like thing, a loony guy, a homicidal loony and... Ah, who cares!'

"If she's not a homicidal or loony that is." the redhead finished.

Akane felt her anger jump-start. She was sure that her mother kept the promise she gave when six year old Akane sneaked into her mother's room.

And that meant that that girl just called her mother… 'I have to stop before I blow up and she laughs at me again' she thought, unclenching her fist.

'I'll beat that boy later, and since they are in one body, I'll get my revenge'. Proud of such plan, she suppressed her anger and stomped out of dojo.

-

"Hey, old man what happened? Why the happy face?"

"Hideko, I came to tell you news about Ranma's marriage…"

Before he finished, Ranma interrupted him. "I will Not marry anyone! Do you hear me?"

"Fine. We'll delay the marriage until you are ready." With that Genma turned around and left.

'Fine? Until you are ready? Man, sometimes I swear that my girl side mind controls people.' thought the redhead, befuddled by that abrupt surrender.

-

"Ahh! Kasumi, did Akane helped you with the dinner?" screamed Soun as he took first bite and immediately clutched his throat, Genma following his example soon enough.

"Oh, my. But I left only for a minute, how could this ever happen?" said Kasumi, suppressing an urge to roll her eyes.

"Ah, I'm not really hungry today" sweatdropped Ranma watching both fathers run to the koi pond as spiced food burnt their throats even deeper.

-

"So, where our guest will sleep?" asked Kasumi, after everyone finished eating, or in case of Tendo and Saotome patriarchs, drinking.

"In the guest room I suppose." shrugged Nabiki.

"But if his father splashes him and will do something perverted to that girl?"

"Yes, it would be most improper. Father, maybe you let Uncle Genma sleep in your room while Ranma and Hideko take the guest room?"

-

"Hey, perfect heir," said Akane when, on their way to school, Ranma jumped on the fence and walked as steadily as if he was on the ground.

"Do you have to show off all the time?"

"It's just training. Do you have to be so snappy about everything?" answered the boy jumping down.

"Snappy? You and your father awoke me with all that noise, practically, at night! Only Kasumi gets up that early!"

Ranma was about to retort, but a splash of cold water from an old lady watering the street interrupted her.

Since Akane was looking intently at the boy, she saw the change in greater detail than before. The boy's body shrank and became invisible for a split second, as if it phased out and in of reality, before Hideko appeared in Ranma's place.

"Just my luck." Muttered redhead rearranging her clothes slightly and turned around "I'm going home for some hot water."

"But you're a going to be late!"

"I don't care."

"Wait! We can go to doctor Tofu's clinic. It's nearby." Akane took Hideko's arm and quickly walked to the clinic.

-

In the clinic Akane went to get hot water, while Ranma remained in the waiting room.

-

Ranma was already growing bored when she heard mild coughing behind her. Turning around she saw a young man dressed in a black Gi with a skeleton on his shoulder.

"Excuse me, miss. What brought you here?" he asked in a soothing voice.

"I got the hot water. Oh, hello doctor Tofu…" said Akane entering the hall with a steaming glass.

"Thanks Akane." Said the redhead, taking the glass.

"Akane, can I talk with you for a minute?" asked Tofu, putting his skeleton aside. When the girl blushed and nodded, he said to his other guest.

"Could you wait outside for a minute? Akane will join you really soon."

Ranma shrugged and left for school, taking the glass with her in case she was splashed with cold water again.

-

"Ah, about what you wanted to talk with me, doctor?" fidgeted Akane, slightly hoping that Tofu will say that he likes her more than Kasumi.

"Who was that girl? The only time I saw ki flows that weak was a girl with a very weak heart. But that girl is a martial artist, is she?"

Releasing a heavy mental sigh, Akane answered "Her name is Hideko, she staying with us for a while. And yes, she a martial artist, a way better one then me."

"Nevertheless, I want you to promise me not to hurt her. She might act tough and know martial arts, but she does need someone to care for her." said Tofu in a serious voice.

Staring at the young man in slight disbelief, Akane was torn apart between urges to laugh and cry. The thought that doctor asked her to stay only to ask her to protect invincible Hideko and that perfect heir Ranma was both hilarious and…

-

Running towards school, for the first time in weeks, Akane looked forward to her morning fight. She arrived just in time to see Nabiki trip and spill her drink on Ranma. Running past redhead who glared at her sister, she tore in the crowd of boys that were standing behind the gate.

"Woah. I never thought she was that violent." remarked Ranma, slightly wincing after especially loud pained scream.

"You've seen nothing yet" answered Nabiki, thinking that now she could stop these morning fights as her sister asked to. She didn't need them anyway since Hideko, whom she mentally dubbed as my soon to be spy, arrived.

-

When the last boy from the morning crown fell and lay twitching on the ground, Ranma walked through the school gates only to be stop when she heard a voice from behind the school yard trees.

"Fools, only I possess enough skill and worth can defeat Akane Tendo." said young and strong voice with an air of nobility in it. With that proclamation, a young man wearing kendo training outfit stepped from the trees.

"Hey Akane, you missed one" smiled Ranma looking at the newcomer.

"Hideko." asked Akane, too tired to argue "Can you get rid of him for me? I'm not in the mood today."

Ranma was about to answer, when her hand snapped up in reflex and caught a red rose.

"Thanks, I'll get some hot water for you" smiled Akane before leaving.

"What is your name, fair maiden?" asked the kendoist walking towards Ranma. "Oh, forgive me. I should introduce myself first, I'm Tatewaki Kuno, the rising star of Furinkan High School."

"Ranma. Here, you dropped this" with a flick of her wrist, the red rose she caught earlier, flew towards the kendoist and hit him in the forehead.

"Skilled and beautiful! Very well, I challenge you! If I win you will go out with me."

"I, Ranma Saotome, heir to Saotome Anything Goes School of Martial Arts, accept your challenge. And there's no way I'm going to date with you!"

-

After a very short fight, Kuno fruitlessly tried to lift himself off the ground with Ranma fingering several cuts in her shirt. "That was my last good shirt, you idiot! How am I going to wear it now?"

"I'm sorry. Allow me to replace it." said Kuno, deciding that, before going anywhere, he needed to rest for a few minutes on this cozy and warm concrete.

"Hideko! Come on, I got the water!" came Akane's voice from the school's entrance.

Unseen by both her sister and guest, Nabiki went to Tatewaki and pulled him to the school nurse, while explaining her newest offer.

-

After first two or three classes, Ranma was terribly bored and almost wanted for something to happen. Of course with hi, almost was good enough as was proved by Tatewaki Kuno who slammed their class door open before exclaiming "I will not allow it to happen!"

"Will not allow what to happen?" asked the teacher annoyed by the interruption.

"I'm sorry for disrupting your lesson, but I demand that Saotome Ranma showed himself to me!"

"All right, Kuno. What do you want?" said Saotome heir walking into the corridor where kendoist stood.

"I heard from mercenary Tendo that not only you live under the same roof as my beloved Akane, but want to marry her as well! I'll not tolerate it!"

His voice reverberated throughout the school corridor and more students appeared in the hall.

"To prove that only I is worthy of my tigress attention, I'll smite you!"

"Woah, wait. We can't fight here, follow me." With that he jumped out of the window, immediately followed by Kuno and a worried "But we're on the third floor!" "Don't worry, they'll land in the pool."

'Bummer, Just my luck again." thought Ranma looking at peaceful water below.

-

SPLASH

The redheaded girl tried to swim\ or rather fly up when she felt a lot more weight on her chest than usual. When she looked down and noticed Kuno's hands seemingly glued to her breasts, her battle aura flared to full power.

"Get lost!" yelled now white-haired girl, murder intent radiating from her flaming eyes.

Moving her entire body like an uncoiling spring she launched Tatewaki high in the sky, accompanied by a whirling pillar of water.

"I really don't like that guy." said Ranma, floating in mostly empty pool, and upon realizing that everyone could see her she turned invisible and left to hide in the trees, taking her clothes with her.

-

"Ranma, where are you?" huff

"Right here, tomboy." Came the voice from the nearest tree. Soon Hideko appeared above one of the branches she left her clothing on.

"I brought some more hot water for you." said Akane showing a steaming kettle in her hand.

"Thanks. Throw it to me if you can." said the redhead as she demonstrated a revision of Martial Arts Combat Dressing.

"Catch!"

"Thanks. Oh no you don't Kuno." suddenly yelled Ranma, dodging the kendoist falling from the sky before he could smash into the kettle.

"I'm not hurt." came Tatewaki's strained voice from the hole his head resided in." Give a minute to gather my thoughts and I'll give you all the attention you need."

A disgusted shudder came through Ranma's body and he quickly emptied the kettle on himself.

"I better go home Akane." he said, tossing back the kettle.

"What, is mister perfect heir afraid of Kuno?" teased Akane.

"No, I'm afraid I'll send him in the hospital if I get anymore of his attention. I'll see you later."

-

'I need a refresher.' thought Ranma nearing the Tendo house. 'Maybe a bath? Nah, I had more than enough water for one day.'

Entering the house he saw Kasumi cleaning the dining room and remembered one of the morning events. Specifically when Kasumi thought it was a good idea to offer a prayer to Hideko while Ranma was in the bath, thankfully alone.

-

"Hey, Pop." Said the boy purposefully walking near his father, who played Go with his friend, and immediately got response he aimed for.

"Boy, why you're not in school?"

"Some idiot tried to molest Hideko, so I thought that going home was best. And since here nobody tried anything that stupid, she might cool down harmlessly." shrugged Ranma and walked to the kitchen, ignoring the look on Genma's face.

"Tendo, old friend." said Genma nervous that the spirit girl will remember him those few times in China. "You must help me sooth Hideko before she appears."

"But why?" puzzled Soun "You said she is nice and kind soul."

"Because, Hideko not only shares Nodoka's looks, but her temper as well. And do you remember what happened when He first met her?"

Shivering at the memory, Soun leaped to his feet and, calling Kasumi to help them, he ran after his friend to his family shrine.

-

Hearing several people run, Ranma, who currently was floating above Tendo household roof, grinned. Soon she felt energy from prayers flow into her body, revitalizing both her body… erm, soul and mind. If she had had any personal experience with more intimate details of human relationship, she would describe that feeling as sexually pleasant, but with Ranma's father never telling her anything about what he thought of as lost forever she was just enjoying the moment.

-

The rest of the day, thanks to both fathers being drunk, was relatively calm. Only Nabiki's attempts to snap several pictures of Hideko where slightly disturbing the peace.

So a dual sword slash, when Ranma, as usual in his cursed form, fell asleep, was rather unexpected. Saved and immediately awoken by his instincts, Ranma dodged another swing and gaining some distance, looked at his attacker. He was slightly older than, if age had any meaning since he was a ghost as well, and wore black and silver leather armor that covered all of his body. His weapons, two swords made from black crystal with silver runes inside, were pointed straight at her.

"What's your problem?!" asked Ranma when her opponent resumed his attack, and she narrowly dodged several combination slashes and thrusts.

"I need magic in you. So die before I waste more than you're worth." was his response when he disengaged and pulled a glowing spike, not unlike her first enemy spirit used, from his armor.

"But I don't have any magic!" yelled Ranma preparing to dodge his next attack.

"Yeah, right. Tell me another." snorted her enemy, pointing at the sphere in her hair, before throwing the spike at her. In the mid-air it broke apart, releasing a lighting bolt that impacted Ranma's smoke shield and caused it to blow up, sending smoke everywhere and greatly lowering visibility in the room.

Ranma used this distraction to close in to her enemy and kick him far away.

"Man, I really prefer meeting with loony ones, at least those don't try to kill you in your sleep." Before going to sleep again, she fingered the sphere in her hair. "Heh, magic. Why couldn't these things happen to me before Jusenkyo."

-

In the morning everyone in Tendo household was in sour mood. Akane because of her impending morning fight, Nabiki from being unable to take any pictures of Hideko since the spirit girl slept invisible and fathers from hangover.

"I'm sorry Ranma, but I couldn't finish repairing your shirt in time." said Kasumi while she served the breakfast.

"It's not a big deal. The cut is small anyway." answered Ranma, starting to eat.

"Saotome, I can sell you several of your favorite shirts. Only 1000 yen each." Her eyes gained all the coldness of a snake. "Or a favor from Hideko."

"Where did you get my shirts?" asked surprised boy, digging in his pockets for cash, apparently ignoring her last sentence.

"Well, I met with Kuno yesterday and he asked me to give them to his fiery maiden." "Here you go." smirked Nabiki taking the money and giving him a bag with clothing.

Immediately, the boy took off his torn shirt, revealing that he wore nothing beneath it. That caused Akane to turn away blushing while Nabiki splashed Ranma with cold water before he could close his shirt.

"Ha-ha. I'll be rich!" faintly rang out middle-Tendo's voice when she was already a block away.

"I'm sorry for my sister, Hideko-sama. I don't know what came over her." said Kasumi, sweatdropping as she looked at the dust trail left by her sister.

"It's okay, Kasumi." said the redhead buttoning her top.

"Come on, or we'll be late. And why don't you wear at least a tank top?" said Akane finishing her food.

"I tried, but they are not as tough as my silks and they kept burning away whenever I got angry."

-

Far away, a tired yellow and black clothed youth with a huge pack on his back made his way through one of the many seaside towns. Suddenly he stopped " Ranma, you're around here somewhere, aren't you? Finally I'll pay you back for what you did to me!" Following this feeling he came to a school. Smiling that his revenge was most likely near, he grabbed the nearest boy by his collar and asked.

"Where is Ranma Saotome!? Where is he!?" The student who was shaking like a leaf, answered, pointing behind his back. "There."

Dropping the boy back in the pile of bodies he picked him up, he ran to his target swinging his ki-charged umbrella, shouting. "Ranma, prepare to die!"

Hearing the shout Ranma jumped aside, avoiding downward thrust. His attacker sneered as he pulled his glowing umbrella from the cracked concrete.

"Still good at running away, eh Ranma?"

"Who are you?" Suddenly Ranma's eyes turned into slits. "Oh, wait. I remember you. You are that nut who pulled me over that cliff"

"I'm sorry I couldn't finish the job back then, you traitor!" His opponent pulled off several bandanas from his forehead and used them as shurikens before attacking in hand-to-hand.

'Man, he is either build like a tank or his clothes are reinforced.' thought Ranma as he felt his attacks barely damage the other boy. "Traitor? I don't even know you!"

"Don't know me? I'm Ryoga Hibiki! The one you put through hell!" roared Ryoga snapping his umbrella open. "Die Ranma!" With a fluid movement Ryoga launched his umbrella, spinning like a saw, toward his target.

"Ryoga?! Then it's time to die, Ryoga Hibiki."

Leaping away to dodge the weapon, Ranma tracked its return path so he could time his attack and saw that it'll pass way to close to Akane. Who was staring at Ryoga along with most girls in the yard, oblivious to the danger. After a second of hesitation, he jumped to the girl.

"Akane, watch out!" he yelled before tackling her to the ground, hem of her dress and long hair flying up only to be cut by umbrella's edge.

Rolling away from Akane, so the next attack won't hit her, Ranma prepared to take down Ryoga before he killed anyone. But to his surprise, his opponent was already down, with blood trickling out of his nose. Looking around to find the one who took Ryoga down that fast he noticed Akane lying on the concrete with back of her dress cut almost to her waist.

-

"It's been 6 years and he's still that shy? That guy is hopeless." sighed blue-eyed boy helping Akane to her feet, only to be blown away by a screech.

"My dress!" and when Akane noticed cut hair lying around, she screamed, her eyes tearing "My hair! This is all your fault!"

"Akane, if I didn't get you away from that umbrella, it would've cut your head off."

Turning her skirt around, so the cut would on her side, she punched the boy and ran away, leaving him on the ground with his glare darting from Ryoga's limp body to his clenched fist, but he couldn't attack defenseless people… yet. Maybe a month or two of such life would do the trick.

"I like the way that day starts." He sighed and ran to school, using his inertia to jump in the window of his class.

-

Inside, he was immediately surrounded by his classmates and a lot of questions.

"Hey, Ranma, do you that girl from yesterday?" "Who is she? She glowed like fighters in dragon ball." "Yeah, here's her picture." "That's not her photo! She had white hair, not red."

When Ranma saw the photo of his girl side, one from this morning no doubt, he snatched it away and crumbled before pocketing. If something like this happened before Jusenkyo, he would simply shrug it off but now, after meeting people that offered hospitality and love (and more food, the very reason Genma sought out such families) to his girl side instead of more common pity, greed or outright attempts to control, he decided to end it.

-

After the class, Ranma went to the bathroom and soon a girl, dressed in the same clothing and with a mane of pale-red hair flowing behind her, walked to the Nabiki's classroom. Despite the fact that the next class already started, she opened the door and asked "Can Nabiki Tendo come out to talk with me?"

-

The teacher opened his mouth to ask the girl to leave, but looking in her glowing eyes, he turned those words 180 degrees and said "Yes, of course. Nabiki, I'll ask somebody to give you their notes."

The girl in question started to pack, telling Hideko to wait her in the library. Walking to the library, Nabiki was quite calm. After all, her photo selling business was quite harmless and she could explain it by needing more money to pay for freeloading pair. Hideko would understand since she herself used that pair for her amusement.

-

Entering the library she saw Hideko sitting near the window and seated near her. "What appears to be a problem?" In response, the other girl, looking completely human now, pulled out a crumpled photo.

"Oh, this. Yes, thanks to your looks, they were sold very quickly." Said Nabiki, straightening the photo of redheaded girl

"Sold to perverts in the school you mean?"

"I never sell my wares to unworthy customers, if that's what you mean." answered Nabiki preparing herself in case this talk will become a conflict.

But Hideko next words were completely unexpected.

"I mean it's stupid, to sell my photos to a bunch of boys so they could drool on them, instead of newspaper writing about supernatural or something. Even pops couldn't spend the money he got after that in less then a week."

Recovering from her facefault, Nabiki scolded herself for not thinking of that herself. "So you agree to pose for newspaper?" she said with money bags floating around her head.

"Nope. In fact I want you to stop making any pictures of me." smirked redhead as she watched a torrent of emotions on middle-Tendo's face.

"But why?" almost cried Nabiki, as imaginary chibi-Hideko started popping each money bag with a needle. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, and causing the evil chibi-redhead to become dizzy, she said in calmer voice. "My family's finances are very low even without Saotomes. Your photos or maybe a few favors will allow them to live with us without straining our resources."

"I'll ask Genma to get a job. What else?"

Nabiki's smile slightly faltered, she only a few straws left. "What about you? You live with us for free, don't you? "

"And what I need to pay for?" asked Hideko looking surprised "I don't eat or drink, I don't need a roof over my head. Heck I'm not even breathing!"

Nabiki's eyes narrowed "Be careful with your tone, oh mighty spirit, or I'll call a priest."

The redhead snorted "You are welcome to try. And I warn you Nabiki, no more photos unless I agree."

"That's fine, No more such pictures" she tapped her finger on a crumbled photo on the table "unless you agree."

Not catching the loophole Nabiki just created, Hideko nodded and walked away, leaving middle-Tendo try to remember where she could get information about spirits.

-

"Ah, that's the life." said Ranma, enjoying a hot bath when the bathroom outer wall shattered and fell apart. In the hole stood Ryoga and looked even angrier than in the morning. "Ranma! Prepare to die!" he yelled and jumped to his target, causing the other boy to roll out of the bath. Ryoga's next attack was intercepted with a kick that sent him away, shattering the cold water faucet as he impacted the wall and momentarily blinding both.

Wiping the water from his eyes Ryoga jumped forward, only to clutch his nose with both hands when he saw a naked redheaded girl before him.

"Damn you Ra…" '…nma for running away again.' tried to say Ryoga but quickly regretted his decision as his blood almost got in his windpipe.

Coughing, he would've lost his balance if it wasn't for the girl.

"Careful Ryoga, you don't want to fall and dent the floor with your head, do you?" said Ranma supporting the boy and feeling her mind clouding. Blinking to get rid of the odd feeling, she decided to tease the boy a little as her revenge for ruining her bath.

Letting go of now stable boy, she traced her figure with her hands.

"You like what see don't you? But you didn't have to ruin my bath for that, you know." Watching his eyes roll into his head before he toppled, she smiled. "Too easy."

-

Five seconds later, the door to the bath opened and Akane ran inside. "What happened here?" She yelled looking at the broken wall before she noticed

naked Hideko standing near that… dreamy boy from school. Her heart skipped a beat when she thought what they could be doing here.

"Ahh, not much. Ryoga came to play a little, but couldn't even last more then a second when he saw me." said Hideko, lightly kicking Ryoga's limp body to illustrate her point.

"Don't touch him! You picked on him long enough!" yelled Akane looking wide-eyed at his blood covered face and hands. "Why did you do it anyway? You're dead! You should help living not… spoil…." She trailed off when Hideko face flinched and then distorted in disgust.

"I thought you were better than those You must do what I say 'cause I have a beating heart inside and you don't. Get out of my way." After saying this in a voice full of cold anger, Hideko shoved Akane aside and disappeared through the wall.

Realizing what she just said, Akane covered her mouth with her hand and red shame and white fear fought on her face. 'I'm not that bad of a person, am I?'

Forgetting about the boy, who was still out cold, she left bathroom as well.

-

For several days Ranma barely spoke with anyone, and often left to fly around the town. The flight always helped her relax and think about anything that bothered her.

Returning from her recent flight she saw Genma's look angrily at her for a second, before hiding it behind respect. Mentally shrugging it off, her old man switched moods rather abruptly depending on what form she was in, she went to her room to sleep.

-

Her dreams tonight were not her usual nightmares about Nekoken, disappearing or changing mentally to an insufferably sweet and gentle girl, the last one being scars from training in much dreaded Kawaiiken which was interrupted by Genma when he learned this styles true nature.

In her dream she her father standing near recently dug grave, weeping in sorrow.

"Hey, Pops. What happened?" she asked walking towards him.

Genma gravely nodded at the tombstone "My son died. All of my life's work is dead with him."

"But I'm alive!" She yelled, changing back to her birth form.

Anger flashed through Genma's eyes "My son died at Jusenkyo. Go back to your grave and do not disturb those that came to accept it, specter."

Suddenly Jusenkyo Guide appeared nearby. Nodding, he said "Mr. young customer drowned in the uncursed spring. I begged a nearby spirit to take care of him. Now you live in that girls mind and she even gave a body that looks just like the one you lost."

"Yes, I feed her enough of my ki to do that." said elder Saotome before the dream ended.

-

Ranma's eyes snapped open. 'Damn, I thought I dealt with this stupid idea already.' she thought looking around.

'I guess there goes my night's sleep again.' She sighed and putting on her usual clothes, went through the window to the roof.

Unknown to the flying girl was the fact that her awakening was far from silent as she thought.

-

"Akane, can't you do anything? I can't get any sleep like this" said Nabiki rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"What can I do? She won't speak with me!" answered Akane, irritated that her sisters thought that it was her fault that Hideko left before she form her apology into words.

"Please try harder. If I fail my plans today, we'll lose a lot of potential money."

Huffing, Akane went to the guest room only to find it empty. As she walked to her room, she met Kasumi who pointed at the ceiling with a smile.

"The roof? Oh, fine. My sleep is ruined anyway."

-

Ranma sat in the midair as she gazed at the stars. 'Come on, heat up' she thought looking at a cup of water she held above the small fire in her right hand. Hearing the nearby ladder cricking, she doubled the fire in her hand and very soon the cup steamed.

"What do you want Akane?" asked now male Ranma, landing on his feet.

"I come to apologize."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Say, who do you think I am, or Hideko?"

Akane shifted her posture uncomfortably. "Most of the time you are an insensible macho jerk or a perfect heir as our fathers call you and Hideko she's …'

Akane trailed off afraid that what she thought would offend their guest even more.

"She's kinder, more sensitive and outright better person even though she uses me to live her life again." The boy continued after her.

"Yeah, everything for her is better. It's like Gods made her life so miserable that now they decided to sweeten things up, but my luck got even worse.

"When I'm me, everybody would just think I'm as bad as Pops and treat me like dirt."

"Oh, yeah you right Akane, as soon as cold water hits I'm dead as doornail, but other people attitudes made me feel even more alive and welcome than before. That is if they don't start pitying me for losing my way to the otherworld as if I don't have right to exist or assume I can be treated as slave and serve them 'cause they're so grabby and selfish."

Not wanting to say anything about his fears and why he decided to create a personality for his girl side, he stopped.

Listening to the boy's rant, Akane sat near him listening. When he finished, she said. "At least you have Hideko to help you. But I don't have anybody. Even for Daddy I'm just a marriage material for the perfect heir."

Ranma, somewhat relieved that Akane didn't completely understood what he said, but glad she listened, picked the half-empty cup of now cool water and smiled after changing his form.

"C'mon, Akane. I'll fly you to the spot I like to watch the town from."

-

"Hey, Kuno baby, that was a good show yesterday." said Nabiki as she walked towards the kendoist.

"Yes, it proved that no one can withstand the might of my blade." answered Tatewaki, rather proud that in yesterday's kendo championship he was nicknamed Blue Thunder.

"Yes, of course. I brought you pictures of Akane and Hideko." said middle Tendo pulling out an envelope.

"I'll take them all."

Putting thick roll of bills she just received, Nabiki paused for a second before starting her plan of subduing Hideko. She really hoped that it wouldn't backfire on her.

"I have information about you fiery Kami that you would be very interested in. And if you buy me a lunch in a good dining place, I might consider telling you."

Special information? Then let's leave at once." He said and snapped his fingers, causing a short man in ninja garb to appear.

"Sasuke, my vehicle!"

"Yes, master."

A minute later a limousine arrived to the school gates.

-

They exited near one of the best restaurants. When they entered, one waiter came to show them their table and the other one called the waiter that usually dealt with Kuno family.

"Now then." said Tatewaki gesturing for Nabiki to sit as well. "What special information you wanted to share with me. Could it be that she decided to congratulate me on my newest victory and title?"

"Well…" Nabiki decided that her real plan could wait and now it was best to part Kuno with a sizeable part of his money. "You want to meet Hideko right? " seeing him nod, she continued" I guarantee that she'll be there if you tell me when you want to meet and leave writing the note to me, And if you want to learn more about her, don't forget your wallet tomorrow morning."

-

"Hey Saotome! I got a letter for you from Kuno. Probably a challenge or something."

"What that idiot wants now." Ranma asked, taking the note and opening it.

My dearest fiery Kami, I, Tatewaki Kuno wish to meet you in the Nerima park today when sun touches the horizon.

-

Entering the park exactly on time, Ranma fumed 'I can't believe those two. Nabiki sold me the exact time of this stupid challenge and Pops with his you can't decline any challenge! It's unworthy of Saotome heir speech.'

Looking around she didn't saw the kendoist and decided to fly higher so she could see entire park. Lifting above the treetops she saw a sight that made her gasp in awe.

Everything around her was bathed in soft orange light from the setting sun. The contrast between fire coloured sky with clouds like living flame and the ground that she saw as an obsidian dark sea was breathtaking.

For a second she wanted to forget about Kuno and just enjoy the sight, but he called for her long and loud enough to ruin her mood.

Landing almost on kendoist's head she asked "So, why do you want to fight me?" He was unarmed but in her state a single strip of paper was more dangerous than even a live steel blade and they were very easy to hide inside a bouquet of flowers he was holding.

"Fight? I didn't came here to fight. I came here to give you this!" He threw the flowers in her arms and posing in front of setting sun, said before walking away.

"I love you."

As Ranma watched him leave, a faint cracking sound was heard. Very soon the flowers in her hands gave away to pressure and fell to the ground in a mess.

'How dare he! He's just like that guy in China."

Fortunately, Tatewaki was already out sight and the glowing girl couldn't vent her anger on him as she did with that poor Chinese man who tried to become her destined lover that'll keep the coldness of the grave away. That was one of the first times in several years that Genma brought his brain fully online so he could escape the house before fireworks began.

-

At the sight of fuming Hideko entering the house, both fathers grabbed several bottles of sake and ran to the family shrine.

"How was your fight?" asked curiously Kasumi.

"I won. Do we have any ice-cream?" asked the redhead not going into any details.

"Yes there is some left. I'll bring it to you."

"But it's mine! I saved it for this evening." protested Nabiki seeing that evil chibi-redhead appear again.

"Oh shush little sister. You have more in your room." admonished her Kasumi as she returned from the kitchen.

"Oh, boy!" exclaimed Hideko opening the ice-cream bucket and dug in.

Seeing the rate at which frozen treat disappeared Nabiki sighed. "How can you eat it anyway? You can't do it with other food."

"I don't really know. I guess I'm condensing my ki inside or using magic somehow." answered spirit waving her spoon in the air as she talked.

-

"Wake up! Wake up or we are going to be late!"

"Akane? Why are you here?" asked Ranma shaking off the remains of his sleep and remembering why he didn't change for the night.

"Oh, right. Pops is dead drunk."

-

After Akane sharpened her skills at simultaneously defeating multiple opponents on those who remained in the morning mob even after Nabiki's discouraging they entered the school grounds.

"Hold vile sorcerer. Today, I Tatewaki Kuno, Blue Thunder of Furinkan High will strike you down for your sins!" exclaimed the usual morning nuisance.

"It'll take only a second Akane."

"Show off." huffed the girl watching Ranma blur through Kuno's defenses and knock him down with one move.

-

After the school the morning Kuno event repeated, only this time kendoist almost instantly rose from the ground.

With cries of "Die evil sorcerer" he relentlessly attacked until Ranma looked back and said.

"You better leave Akane. He's serious this time."

"I can take him! I beat him plenty of times before." defiantly answered the girl.

"Ha. He's holding back a lot against you. There is no way a tomboy like can beat him when his serious."

"You jerk!" Hearing that Mr. Perfect Heir attitude made Akane's blood boil and she threw her bag at him. But Ranma only smirked and dodged so it would hit the kendoist in the forehead, throwing him on the ground.

"Nice throw Akane."

"Hmm. What's this?" Ranma leaned to the photos that fell out of Tatewaki's hakama.

"What is it?

"Your and my girl-side photos. I thought Nabiki promised not take any pictures without talking to me first." As the looked through the pictures they noticed the limp body at their feet move and start to rise.

"So, Mercenary Tendo was wrong. You already bewitched fair Akane. Not to worry, I'll free you from that spell!" yelled the bokken wielding boy, stepping in yet unseen by others stance.

"Go home Akane. I'll catch up with you when I deal with him." said Ranma, thinking that revealing his curse and then explaining a few thing to that deranged idiot could get him off his back.

-

"I strike!" Yelled Kuno and attacked. He moved much faster now but in a rigid pattern, so red and black clad boy had no problems leading him to the nearest fountain.

What came as surprise however was the said fountain exploding and showering him with both rocks and water, triggering his curse.

"Now do you see?" she asked, hopeful that her opponent saw the change.

"See what my fiery Kami? That fiend running and leaving you to fight instead?" asked Kuno wiping the water from his eyes to restore his sight.

-

"Okay, I'm showing it to you for the last time." groaned the girl heating the nearest puddle of water.

"Oh, yeah. Almost forgot. I am a Kami, so no more flowers or love talk." She said putting her fist through the ground.

Splashing herself and changing, Ranma asked irritably.

"Now do you see? I and that girl are one and the same person. So quit that talk about foul sorcerer already!"

"Oh, I see." answered Kuno and started to shake, but before the other boy could feel relief he continued.

"When my beloved didn't return your affections you cursed her and boned her very essence to you! You control her every movement so the moment you take her form is nothing but a cruel joke."

Kuno sheathed his wooden blade and turned around to leave.

"I will not desecrate this blade with your blood, fiend. I must leave to learn how to break the spell before you do the same to the Akane."

"Well, let me help you leave!" yelled Ranma dropkicking Kuno far away.

"He's such an idiot. How did he come up with story anyway?"

-

"So, Kuno baby. What did you learn?" asked the familiar voice, helping the kendoist to get out from the crater.

"I'll give you what you ask, mercenary. And once you are done, I'll crush that fiend."

-

"Ah, thanks Kasumi. That's great as usual." said Ranma reaching for another dish, ignoring his father suggestion that Kasumi will make a fine wife someday, when he felt a familiar tingling of energy from prayers trying to enter his being. Putting away the food he thanked the eldest Tendo again and went upstairs taking a glass of water with him. He hurried to the guest room so nobody will hear what would happen when energy from prayers, that only accumulated when he wasn't in his cursed form, will be quickly absorbed by his girl side.

When he noticed a paper strip with a prayer written on it he tore it down and smirked.

"If Pops plans to keep me out of my room, he needs to think harder."

Behind him, the door to Nabiki's room slightly opened, revealing middle Tendo who silently cursed seeing that it wasn't Hideko who touched the prayer.

-

Did you sleep well with that flood?" asked Nabiki at breakfast next morning.

The redheaded girl in completely soaked clothes only glared at her in I know it was your fault fashion. After all what were the chances of all of the water from broken water pipes going only to her room. Worst of all she couldn't dry them herself, since everything except open fire would be immediately extinguished by wet clothing and she didn't want any burns on her outfit.

-

"Well, thank you. It's a pleasure to deal with you." Said Nabiki taking a small object, wrapped in green silk bearing golden emblem of Kuno clan, from a short man in ninja outfit.

"You are too kind!" answered Sasuke almost tearing up. "Master never says such kind words."

-

"It's strangely pleasant morning today." commented Ranma when they arrived at school and saw neither Kuno, nor remains of the morning mob.

"Why are you so gloomy then?" asked Akane as they walked to the school's entrance.

"Nothing happens to me without a lot more bad stuff later." answered the other girl. "When we were in Italy…"

"Italy?!"

"Yeah. What do ya think we did on that training trip? Stayed for ten years in some Chinese training ground?"

-

"Oh, hello Hideko. Uncle Genma left some money so you could take one of us for a walk."

"He left me money?" asked astonished redhead and felt shivers run along her spine 'I got a bad, bad feeling about this. Maybe some training would clear my mind'

-

When the day came much closer to its end, middle Tendo finally returned home.

"Good evening, Hideko" she greeted their guest spirit who still trained her katas in front of the house.

-

"Hello, Nabiki." Starting another kata Ranma almost missed small round metal tablet inside Nabiki's pocket. ' Oh, it's magical' she thought, seeing a sophisticated figure made from glowing runes which meant that item had some power left.

She watched Nabiki walk in the house and go to her room, but as her door was closing, the tablet fell out of her pocket and rolled almost to the stairs.

'I'll just take a little bit of its power.' thought Ranma, her hunger for new techniques pushing her to fly, unnoticed, through the window to where the tablet was.

-

Examining the figure inside her target, Ranma saw that in several places the lines were cut or weakened as if tempting her start with them. But thanks to her father, she could easily recognize them as traps.

Grabbing one of the intact lines she pulled and most of the enchantment exited the tablet.

When it turned in raw power and was absorbed by her skin, something suddenly flashed inside the artifact and spirals of fishing net like material rose from within and formed a vertical roll that floated above the tablet.

Before the girl could understand what happened, it quickly unwrapped itself and shot to the spirit trying to envelope her.

"Get away from me." yelled the girl and her battle aura became blindingly bright. Her panicked wish for protection materialized as twin jet of fire from her outstretched hands and pushed away her writhing would-be captor.

The net tried to bypass the flames but they only grew in width, greedily consuming recently acquired power. Soon her enemy rolled into a badly scorched ball and barely moved.

-

"Grrr… I'm not going to become anyone dinner!" yelled Ranma, shaking from the thrill of the battle. She decided to try and finish that thing before it regained whatever it was trying to regain.

She cupped her outstretched hands and focused her energy causing a bright ball to appear between them. This time she tried to make it mostly a magic powered instead of hybrid.

That decision proved far more successful than she thought when the sphere of flame quickly grew in brightness, reaching blinding white in seconds and started to scorch the floor and walls.

"Heaven's shard!" She called out her just named technique and launched her attack. The ball of plasma flew towards its target, scorching everything around its path and exploded causing Ranma to shield her eyes from the flash.

-

When her vision returned, she saw that explosion gave a part of the corridor a thick layer of coal and the net lost most of its size and was ripped in two.

Nevertheless, these pieces came back to life and tried to attack. Ranma intercepted one of them with a regular energy blast and destroyed it, while the other one was impaled through its back and familiar lightning reduced it to nothing.

-

Looking at the new arrival, Ranma felt a feeling close to a toothache. It was a really wrong time to meet one of the homicidal spirits.

"It's you again. What do you want?" she asked in a guarded voice.

"Well, I sensed a lot of magic here and came to see if you collected enough to justify the waste of power it would take to kill you."

The silver and black clad young man looked around and lowered his dual swords, sighing.

"But it seems you're already wasted everything, so you'll live"

Before the girl could reply, she heard a shocked cry from behind.

"What happened here?!"

Ranma turned around trying to figure how to explain what the Tendo-girls could and couldn't see. Nervously scratching where, pre-Jusenkyo, was the base of her pigtail, she watched Akane walk to blackened floor and prod it with finger.

"Ahh!" Apparently Ranma misjudged the strength of the magic component in her attack, because the floor around Akane gave in and fell down, revealing that it was turned in mostly coal and ash.

"Gah! I'm all dirty now!" cried the youngest Tendo from within the hole.

-

"Hey! Give it back!" protested Nabiki, who miraculously appeared from the living room instead of her own and tried to take a picture of Hideko's true self as she mentally dubbed genuinely scary sight before her, when Kasumi, in one lightning fast move, snatched the camera from her hand.

"I'm sorry for interruption. Please continue." said eldest Tendo, smile not leaving her lips.

Hideko looked towards the guest room as if listening to somebody and said.

"Well, someone left here a magical object. I fought the binding spell trap that was hidden inside and managed to dissolve it using ridiculously wasteful…"

She suddenly stopped and started to yell "Hey! Of course my techniques are wasteful to you! You would've killed me even for a drop if you could!"

-

"Don't try your sweet and innocent act on me." snorted the other spirit. "I bet you get your life energy by draining humans in this house. It's one of the best places I've seen here."

"I'm not draining anyone! It's a curse!"

"Yeah. I'm sure whoever you cursed would be happy even on their, not far away, deathbed that you could live at their expense."

"Why you!... you!" Ranma's patience snapped and she launched herself at her enemy, ignoring the lightning that washed over her smoke shield.

Dodging his swords she kicked him through the wall and used the window to fly out after him.

Soon even the crackle of lightning and fire was barely heard at Tendo's as they flew farther and farther.

-

When they flew by a one of the temples in Juuban Ranma saw prayer strips on the walls and grinned as a plan formed in her mind.

Instead of trying to bypass the swords so she could fire a point blank blast as she originally intended, she sidestepped his next thrust and grabbing his hand, she threw him right into the nearest piece of enchanted paper.

"How dare you disturb my sleep!" suddenly yelled a voice, that could've been mistaken for roaring of fire in the temple if Ranma's nearly electrocuted opponent wasn't lifted by a ghostly hand and thrown far, far away.

-

On her way home she saw Kuno, who immediately ran to her asking if his family heirloom saved her from that horrible spell.

"First. Your heirloom almost killed me." answered the girl standing on top of his head, half embedded in the sidewalk.

"Second. Ranma gave away half of his life so I could live again after several centuries of being dead. So show him some respect already!"

"Hrm ngh…" came Kuno's voice, as that speech played on the noble samurai strings in his soul, but an uncomfortable position made his words unrecognizable. Ranma stepped away before helping him to stand.

"As I was saying. It's surprising to learn that that fiend Saotome has a redeeming quality. Since you insist on giving even him a chance to fully redeem himself, I'll withhold from striking him down."

Before Tatewaki turned to leave, Ranma remembered her recent idea about improving this form's mobility and walked with him for a while to explain her idea.

-

An hour later, Ranma returned to Tendo household with a wide grin on her face. 'It's a good day after all' she thought.

First thing she saw when she entered the house was Soun crying about damages to his house.

"Hey, who are those guys?" she asked pointing at several men in ash covered uniforms walking from the earlier battlefield..

"They are repairmen I called earlier." said Kasumi." They came to evaluate damage so they could repair everything tomorrow."

"Oh, I did say I was sorry, did I?"

"I bet you are. I had to clean myself in the kitchen for half an hour!" said Akane, looking out of the kitchen.

"Oh, it's not her fault Akane. She did protect us from that Oni after all."

"Yeah, sort of." blushed Ranma.

-

"Dinner's ready!" exclaimed youngest Tendo as she carried a tray with several dishes from the kitchen. Soun's wailing became even louder when he looked at what he was served.

Kasumi quickly rose to her feet and said to her sister. "I'm sorry, but I must go out with Hideko and celebrate today victory. I'm sure Nabiki would volunteer to eat our portions."

"But I don't have enough money!" protested Ranma thinking that even though nobody would think of it as a date, it wasn't that big of a victory.

"Don't worry. I have enough for a small ice-cream feast." answered eldest Tendo pulling out an envelope, with Nabiki written on it, out of her apron.

As Kasumi walked outside with the redheaded girl in tow, they heard Nabiki's scream from the house. "Kasumi, how could you take money even for a take-out?!"


	4. Arrival of Amazons unfinished

Chapter 3.

Next morning wasn't a school day so victims of Akane's cooking could rest and heal and Akane was in a rather sour mood because it showed that her cooking was still horrible.

Genma, happy that his plan to bring Ranma closer to Tendo girls worked, went to discuss their next actions with Soun. And Ranma was on the roof, enjoying the sun and wind, all of the sensations he missed in his cursed form. Laying on the warm roof he idly thought about the girl he saw yesterday at the restaurant. She wore a long blue dress that matched her short hair and her curry eating speed matched Ranma ice-cream devouring one.

When he was almost asleep, he heard panting breath and quickly turned to face whoever it was.

"Master Kuno told me to deliver this to Hideko. Can you tell me where she is?" asked short ninja, doubling under the sac that was as big as him.

"I can take it to her."

Sasuke shook his head "No, I must give this to Hideko."

"You just had to ruin my mood, hadn't you? Okay, I'll go call her."

Ranma jumped down and Kuno servant jumped down as well, his sack hammering him into the ground.

Idiot.' thought the boy as he went to kitchen to get a glass of water.

-

When Ranma returned she saw Kasumi trying to lift the sac off the poor ninja.

"I think these clothes are sewed together, I can't lift even a shirt."

"Nah. I asked Kuno to make some heavy outfits for me." answered Ranma pulling the sac away and lifting one of the red silk shirts to show the weights inside.

"I'll need momentum and weight from my clothes for faster jumps and some traction. Anyway, thanks little guy." said the redhead, taking the sac and going to the roof again because her room was a construction zone as was the rest of the second floor.

-

In the evening just before dinner was ready, Ranma, male again, sparred with his father, a part of the outer wall near them exploded.

"My wall!" cried Soun, and his wailing increased in volume when a lavender haired girl armed with a mace and a sword entered through the hole.

"Where's redheaded girl?"

-

Seeing the girl, Genma ran into the house leaving up to Ranma to stop the crazy Amazon.

"You again!? Why couldn't you stay in China?"

"Tell where redheaded girl or die!" impatiently said the intruder. But before she could attack, a small egg flew to her and exploded in a blinding flash.

"Stupid Mousse! Put your glasses right!" yelled Shampoo, trying to restore her sight as quickly as possible.

Mousse obeyed and then started to launch one barrage of bladed weaponry after another at Ranma whose dodging and deflecting soon brought him to the edge of the koi pond.

"Die!" shouted Amazon boy, and a dozen of eggs shot from his sleeves. Thinking they were flash bombs Ranma sidestepped the one heading straight for him and batted away others that were too close. But these eggs were explosive as was proven by cold water splash from koi pond.

Standing in drenched clothes and rather angry, Ranma was ready to vent some of her anger but, to her surprise, her opponent stopped fighting… again.

Every time she got hit by cold water and was about to take him down, he disengaged. It pissed her off greatly.

"Come on coward! Why did you stop?!" she yelled at the boy.

"Mousse! We attack now!" commanded Shampoo when her blurred vision cleared and she saw her target near the small pond.

"But Shampoo, if she defeats me, I won't be able to marry you!" protested the boy.

"Useless Mousse!" spat the Amazon girl and walked carefully to Ranma, her weapons ready to kill.

"Oh, come on! I just got this outfit!" said the redhead taking a step back before jumping away to dodge a horizontal slash.

Soon she was jumping all over the Tendo household to avoid damage to her clothes and noticed with joy that she could jump almost as good as her uncursed form.

-

"Dinner is ready." called out Kasumi's melodic voice causing Genma to reappear in the living room. Ranma looked at Kasumi who started to bring food to the table and thought 'It's either my clothes or staying like this until morning. Gah, all right, I have a spare anyway.'

-

Landing in the front yard the redhead stopped instead of jumping again and Shampoos sword cut right through her body. Her clothing fell to sides with loud clangs, showing that it wasn't Ranma's afterimage that was cut through.

"So, are you happy now?" growled the girl tying the pieces of her shirt around her chest and hips.

"Now, if you excuse me, I have a dinner to eat." She turned around and went to her room to change, leaving Shampoo to stare at her sword dumbfounded.

-

"Shampoo! I think Cologne wants us to retreat." said Mousse shaking the girl out of her shock.

"What you mean I think?"

In response he pointed to the Honored Elder who fell from the tree and currently rolling on the ground, laughing. Sweatdropping, Shampoo asked carefully.

"Grandmother, what happened to you?"

"I was laughing in relief, granddaughter." answered Cologne as she stood up clutching her sides in pain. "Ohhh, let's get back to our room. I'll make the tea and tell you a very old story."

-

In the room of nearby hotel, two young Amazons listened to their Elder's story. Cologne told it in her favorite manner, by illustrating her words with images she formed from her pipe's smoke.

"First I'll answer your question, Shampoo. I laughed because I thought that a trap is waiting for us here. A trap that would kill the Amazon Matriarch and the Champion, made by people who use fighters as skilled as that girl and your Airen as a mere bait. But I'm glad that was mistaken"

"Child, you couldn't harm that girl because she's a spirit. Not an elemental one you learned from me but a warrior who remained here even after death."

"Stupid dead girl protecting stupid fat Airen." muttered Shampoo.

Bonk

"Ouch! Grandmother what Shampoo done?" asked the girl rubbing her head.

"Show some respect, child. That she was given a choice to remain speaks greatly of her valor."

-

Returning her pipe to producing smoke, Cologne continued.

"Around four hundred years ago, Musk Emperor's firstborn child was a girl, even though Musk Empire has so many techniques to control the gender of their children." Cologne chuckled, remembering this story being told to her by her mother.

"Through our spies we learned that the Emperor decided to use The spring of a drowned boy to change the Musk princess to prince. We, the Amazons, decided to save the girl from this horrible fate. Of course, the fact that we conquer them if we raised the princess and helped her to the throne was thought about as well."

"But after we ambushed the Musk warriors that escorted the princess and won, we couldn't find her anywhere. It's was rumored that her personal bodyguard Lion carried her out of the battle, but couldn't reach their homeland with his injuries and the girl was adopted by travelers."

Seeing that her grandmother wasn't going to continue, as she was deep in her memories, Shampoo asked.

"But why you tell us this?"

"What? Oh, I'm sorry child." smiled the Matriarch returning from memories of her childhood. "I told you that because I suspect that that girl was the Musk princess."

Cologne extinguished her pipe and stated "We'll settle here to find proof, so you need to rest well"

-

Monday morning, Ranma was in school and was terribly bored. To help pass the time he thought back to the blue-haired girl he met in that restaurant he went with Kasumi.

'She did a good job of hiding skill, but judging by the way her muscles trained, she focuses on thrown weapons. I wonder if she can beat Ryoga'

He started to imagine how the fight between the two would've progressed, but stopped, frowning, when he realized that there was core difference between the two. She would kill without hesitation, while Ryoga would try not to hit her too hard.


End file.
